Watch-face protector.



F. FARR.

WATCH FACE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1915.

1,199,256. lu1v1\1v l upt.26,1916.

FRANK FARR, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

WATCH-FACE PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

, Application filed February 3, 1916. Serial No. 76,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK FARR, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and resident of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVatch-Face Protectors, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in guards for wrist watches, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, inex pensive and effective guard, which will protect the crystal from breakage under all ordinary circumstances, and which may be used to protect the hands of the watch in the event of the crystal being broken, so that use of the watch may be continued until it is convenient to secure a new crystal.

A further object is to provide a guard of such structure that it will not be confused with the hands of the watch and thus interfere with the usefulness thereof.

The invention consists essentially of a guard'in the form of a grid, adapted to rest at its outer circumference on the bezel of the watch and to be supported thereby above the crystal. The bars forming the guard extend in non-radial directions, so that they will not be confused with the hands of the watch. They are also arranged in such manner that all the numerals of the watch dial are plainly visible.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention:Figure 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of guard. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a slightly modified form. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the guard.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates an outer circular ring and 12 an inner circular ring, which is supported from the outer ring by a plurality of arms 13. These arms may be of various forms and of various arrangements. 1 prefer to use arms springing tangentially from the inner ring, as shown in Fig. 1, as these arms being shortest obscure least of the watch dial and hands. but if it is desired to more clearly distinguish between the bars and hands of the watch. the bars may be curved to a suitable degree. as shown at 13, Fig. 2. The bars are preferably twelve in number, as will be seen from the drawings, so that each numeral of the watch dial will be visible between a pair of bars. \Vhile twelve bars have been shown, I do not limit myself to any particular number, nor to any particular shape of bars. Moreover, I do not limit myself to the size of the inner ring 12, as this ring may be made much. larger than shown, or much smaller, with the result that the ring effect is lost andjthe center of the guard has the appearance of a small plate. At diametrically opposite points of the guard, loops 14 are provided through which the wrist strap may be passed. In some wrist watches, the straps are sewed or otherwise permanently attached to the watch, so that opposite ends of the straps must be passed through the loops of the guard. The presence of the buckle on one strap will in many cases prevent passage of the strap in the ordinary manner, and therefore, I provide a small opening 15 in the center of the loop through which the body of the strap may be inserted in an edgewise direction. When drawn tight around the wearers wrist, the strap covers this opening 15 and will not accidentally escape therethrough. Preferably, the rings, bars and loops are stamped from a single sheet of metal. In this stamping operation, the outer ring 11 receives a frusto-conical form, as shown in Fig. 3, which adapts it to rest securely on the bezel 16 of a watch. The bars curve upwardly as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so as to leave a considerable clearance between themselves andthe watch crystal 17. The loops 14 curve downwardly a suitable distance, so that the wrist strap passing through them will not be diverted appreciably from its ordinary curvature around the wearers wrist.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly seen that the principal feature of the invention consists in positioning the bars, so as not to be confused with the hands, and so as to leave each figure of the dial clearly visible. The first mentioned object is accomplished by the tangential disposition of the bars, which precludes the possibility of the radially disposed hands ever becoming obscured by the bars. The number and spacing of the bars also leaves each numeral clearly exposed between a pair of bars. The archingof the bars gives great strength. and the support of the guard on the bezel effectually saves the crystal from fracture by anything less than a very heavy blow. ll the crystal does become broken, the fragments of glass may in most cases be shaken out between the bars of the guard, and the watch used as before, the bars being sufficiently close to prevent interference with the hands in almost every case. These bars may be made quite thin and of considerable depth, so that when the watch is viewed at a normal angle, the area of face obscured by the bars will be almost negligible.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. In a watch guard, annular central and circumferential supports, disposed bars connecting circumferential supports.

2. In a Watch guard, annular central and circumferential supports, and bars connectthe central and ing said supports arranged tangentially to the central support.

and non-radially 4. In a watch guard, a frusto-conica cir-' cular ring member, bars curving from said ring in the direction of its convergence, and a centrally disposed member uniting said bars.

5. In a watch guard, a grid, loops' mounted at diametrically opposite points on said grid, one of said loops having a centrally disposed inlet slot.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in. presence of two witnesses.

FRANK FARR. Witnesses:

S. R. W. ALLEN, G. M. MORELAND. 

